Silver Morning
by ChibiLover123
Summary: Technically my first Batman story, with a new OC. It goes along the lines of Dark Knight, since that movie rocked so damn much. Be nice when you read it, though. I'm sensitive. Enjoy! Chapter 13 and 14 up! COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

"Time to wake up, Allie!"

A groan, and the lump in the bed shifted away from the doorway…

"Five more minutes…" It slurred.

"Five more minutes, and you'll be late for your first day of school."

"GOOD…"

There was silence, and the lump's sleepy mind seemed to be sensing danger…

"Mom-? AH!"

The flipped mattress sent her sprawling on the floor, revealing a fifteen year old teenaged brunette.

"…I'm up…"

"Good."

Rachel Dawes smiled, glad to know her daughter was finally up and about.

"I'll be making breakfast while you get ready."

"Alright…"

As her mother left, Alexandra Dawes sat up on her floor and reached for her nightstand drawer to grab her underclothes.

Everyone said she looked like her mother except for her eyes and hair, which were much darker.

She'd grown it out to reach her butt, and it was in ringlets of curls around there naturally.

Changing into a blue tie-dye tank top and jean capris, she had to sit down to pull on her white tennis shoes.

Patting around for her scrunchie, she pulled her hair into a ponytail before grabbing her skateboard and heading out into the apartment.

"Morning, mom…"

"Good morning, Allie. No make up again?"

"YES, mom…"

It was more of a joke to Rachel to always bring up how her teenage daughter never wore make up, while an annoyance to Alex…

Grabbing the toast her mom had made before heading off to the door, she grabbed her bag and assured Rachel that she wouldn't be late to school.

"Be careful out there, Allie."

"I know, mom. Don't get your panties in a knot." Alex joked, closing the door.

Heading down the flights of stairs on a skateboard was FUN…

Once out on the sidewalk, she bit into her toast as she cruised along, sometimes doing flips on the board.

It felt strange, not looking over her shoulder in worry every few minutes…

She liked the feeling.

Smiling slightly to herself, she jumped over a stray dog with her board before landing and bumping into someone.

With an 'oof', she fell back as her blue fire-designed skateboard skidded away a bit.

"OW! What's WRONG with you, you little freak?!"

'Oh great…It's REBECCA…'

Sitting up and grabbing her board, Alex glared up at the blonde girl before her.

"What's wrong with YOU? You're the one standing in the middle of the damn sidewalk, genius."

"And YOU'RE the one riding that death trap!"

"Death trap? I'm sorry, it's called a SKATE-BOARD. Say it slowly if you can't pronounce it right."

"You little BITCH!"

Alex froze, hackles rising at the insult before turning on the girl.

"Don't get me started on whose being BITCHY here, Rebecca! If you don't want my fist in your frickin' face, you'd better get your ass far away from me!"

Seeming to believe her, Rebecca bolted away down the street…

"Frickin' pussy…" Alex grumbled, coming down from her angry high before walking towards the school.

She didn't lose her temper often, but some things seriously ticked her off…

Jumping onto her board once more, she didn't realize someone was watching her go from an alley…

'The perfect specimen for my experiment…'


	2. Chapter 2

"It's so DARK out…Where's AJ? I need protection."

The husky sitting on the couch looked up at her owner, ears cocked in interest.

She was a deep red, except for her belly, throat, legs, and muzzle, which were a soft white.

Light eyes watched Alex expectantly, as if she could almost understand what she was told.

When Alex had gotten the husky at ten years old, she'd been eating Applejacks and had decided to name the canine that.

After a while, AJ became her nickname.

"You'd better be careful, Allie." Rachel warned, looking up from the papers scattered on their kitchen table.

"I will. I mean, I'm bringing a big dog with me down the street to the pizza place. I'll be fine."

"Alright…Do you have your cell phone?"

"Yup."

"Taser?"

"Yup."

Alex was already heading for the door, clicking a leash onto AJ's pink leather collar.

"Money?"

"YUP."

"Pepper spray?"

"YES, mom. I have everything. Are you going to ask if I've been going to my self-defense and karate classes, too?"

"I was about to." Rachel joked, smiling a bit at her daughter.

Giggling, the brunette grabbed her keys and put them in her back pocket before turning the knob.

"Ha, ha…I'll be back in twenty minutes."

Heading out the door with the husky trotting beside her, Alex smiled as she headed down the stairs.

"Are you bored in there, baby girl?"

A soft bark, and AJ nuzzled her owner's waist.

"Oh, I know you miss me…"

Patting the dog's head lovingly, Alex stepped out of the lobby and onto the sidewalk.

"Which way was that pizza place again…?"

A tug to the left, and Alex smiled.

"Alright, alright…Left it is."

Following at a steady pace as AJ's curled tail wagged happily, she caught sight of the pizza parlor and almost ran in.

Ordering a deep dish pizza with pepperoni and sausage, she sat down to wait for it to get made.

AJ whimpered, straining against the leash and tugging a bit as if to lunge at something outside…

"Calm down, baby girl…I'll let you do your business in a sec-."

Alex was tugged towards the door, almost stumbling, and sighed before quickly telling the cashier to call her if the pizza was finished before her dog was.

Standing on the sidewalk, she glared at the sky as AJ did her 'business'…

"You couldn't have WAITED?" She muttered a bit testily, crossing her arms over her chest.

Being so short, she had been told constantly by everyone she knew to always be careful.

Speed would mean nothing if you got nabbed…

AJ suddenly snarled, whipping around, causing Alex to blink in surprise until someone grabbed her from behind.

"AH!"

Kicking out as she accidentally released the leash, she tried to reach her pepper spray when AJ leapt up, her fangs catching the attacker's arm as she drew blood.

Stumbling away as she was released, Alex grabbed her taser and was about to fire it when the man grabbed her wrist.

"Ah, ah…I don't think so, princess…"

AJ snarled as another man pulled harshly on her leash, almost choking her, and Alex kicked the man before her in the crotch.

He sucked in his breathe in pain, falling like a ton of bricks, but the brunette didn't get a chance to strike the other man before something was sprayed in her face.

Coughing as her body began to slump, she hit the sidewalk dully…

"Now, now…Don't fight so hard, little one…It'll only hurt more…"

Blurring vision caught sight of another man, not as muscled as the others, and he seemed completely unruffled by the events…

"Just sleep…"

She couldn't exactly argue with that…

She was already out like a light…


	3. Chapter 3

Eyes feeling like they weighed a ton, Alex almost groaned as she forced her lids to open…

A bright light shocked her, causing the teen to wince a bit as cold metal dug into her wrists and ankles.

The chill spread wakefulness through her veins, and she could see shapes in the shadows and a tray beside her.

It had a syringe full of a strange multi-colored liquid atop its smooth surface, and a strange gas mask.

'Uh oh…'

"Well, it seems you're finally awake."

Turning somewhat frightened brown eyes to the man she'd seen before falling unconscious, Alex tried to hide her fear.

"What do you want with me?"

"I'm just doing some EXPERIMENTS…I managed to get your medical records, and you're a perfect subject…"

He picked up the syringe, his eyes strangely happy behind his glasses.

"For what?"

Still eerily relaxed, he wiped the side of her neck with alcohol.

"To see how to make a superhuman."

He stuck the needle in, causing her to wince, and injected the strange serum.

Pulling out the needle, he placed it on the table before quickly strapping on the gas mask.

"Now, this may hurt…"

Whatever else he said was drowned out by a wave of agony, and she screamed as loudly as she could while her body convulsed.

It felt like lava was burning straight through her veins, and her throat was growing hoarse from the screams.

Gas filled her lungs, starting to shock her nerves, and Alex could hardly take the overload that came…

She was panting and whimpering in pain as her eyes fluttered closed…

"Don't worry, little one…"

The man smiled, pulling out another syringe filled with a silver-looking fluid…

"You'll feel like a million dollars when you wake up…"

A weak whimper escaped her, louder than the others, as he stabbed the inside of her arm…

"Sleep, little one…Sleep…"

Alex couldn't help it…

She slept…

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Waking up once again on the familiar cold table, Alex was a bit surprised to find that there was no pain in her limbs.

They weren't even numb.

She could even hear her own heartbeat, the blood pumping through her veins, smell the strange metal around her…

Something pricked her palm, and she looked down to find her fingers tipped with silver claws, sharp and dangerous-looking.

"Oh, so you're awake again…It seems the transformation was complete."

'Transformation?'

"You look confused. Here, see for yourself."

Her eyes widened at the reflection in the handheld mirror, only truly recognizing her face.

Her eyes were now a strange sky blue, swirling darker and lighter, and her pupils were more narrowed.

The normally dark brown hair was now a shimmering pearl-blonde, her bangs in front of two white canine ears, dark-tipped and pointed.

She even had fangs now, as silver as her new claws.

"What the-?!"

"It seems mixing your DNA with a wolf's was a good choice…It gave a base for all the other things I gave you…"

"Like what?" She wondered, still in awe.

Alex couldn't believe what had happened…

What had been in those syringes and gas had changed her so MUCH…

"Well, muscle enhancers, nerve enhancements…"

Something twitched between her butt and the table, and Alex realized she even had a tail…

'Holy CRAP…'

"You should be ready for some tests soon…"

Something like anger filled her blood, feeling like he only saw her as an object…

Something to toy with and then get rid of when she was obsolete…

Muscles tensing, Alex heard the metal buckle as it gave way…

"Wait, what are you doing-?!"

It snapped in two, and Alex was free, a snarl escaping her as her pupils narrowed in cat-like rage.

Her claws slashed at his chest, cutting through before she flipped over him and ran for the door.

In her haste to escape, she pulled the door straight off its hinges, running down the hallway inhumanly fast.

A scent caught her nose, and she skidded to a halt.

'AJ!!'

Following the smell, she busted into a room to see her dog chained to a wall by her throat, with two others lying beside her.

Both were huskies, one seeming stronger than the other, with a broad muzzle and thick white fur.

The second dog seemed older though, with deep black fur and a white chest and forepaws.

"AJ! Are you okay, baby girl?"

Running over and nearly tripping, she ripped the chains off before realizing words in her ear…

"I'm fine, Alex. You don't need to worry about me. Are you alright?"

An ear twitched atop her head, and the now blue-eyed girl looked at her dog in shock…

"D-Did you just talk?"

AJ seemed just as surprised…

"You understood me? What did he do to you?!"

"I don't know…"

"Well, it's a relief that you're alright. But what about them?"

Alex turned to see the other two dogs, and felt sympathetic.

"Do you two want to come along?"

"YES!"

The white-furred dog whined as he tried to lunge out of his chain collar, but she broke it easily enough for him.

"And you?"

"If you wouldn't mind freeing me first."

Smiling, she freed him as well before hearing footsteps somewhere…

"Someone's coming…"

"Then we'd better go. Follow me!"

The white husky barked, running out the door with the other three right at his tail.

Soon, they busted out into the 'fresh' Gotham air, and Alex began to lead the way towards her apartment…

The only thing registering in her head right then was that she wanted to be home…

Everything was a blur, the sound of soft paws on the concrete and panting dogs keeping her in reality before she opened the door to the apartment with a bang…

Rachel looked up from her lap with tears drying on her face, eyes widening as she recognized her daughter past the changes…

"Allie?! Allie, honey, are you okay?!"

"M-Mommy…"

Darkness overcame her as relief sapped her strength…

"ALLIE!"

Silence…


	4. Chapter 4

Soft light filtered through her eyelids, and Alex whimpered a bit before rolling over a bit.

A warm furry body cuddled against her on both sides, and another by her feet, and she couldn't help smiling in her sleepy state.

Rachel watched her daughter worriedly, seeing as she still had a wolf tail, ears, and bright hair.

She'd called Bruce once she'd made sure her daughter was still alive, and he'd been surprised to find her on the couch with Alex's head in her lap.

Alex still didn't know it, but she'd been missing for three days, worrying both of them and Harvey.

Bruce had known her before his trip to find himself, and had grown attached to the little bundle of energy that always seemed to be smiling.

To find that she'd been kidnapped had gotten him into his Batman suit faster than he ever had before…

All he'd learned was that Scarecrow had been the culprit before Alex had come home.

The two new dogs she'd brought home with her refused to leave her side, as did AJ, and neither protested.

Bruce stepped into the room, smiling at the sleeping form on the bed as her tail wagged in her sleep.

At least it would be easier to tell when she was happy…

"Has she woken up yet?"

"Almost…"

Rachel sighed, but her face lit up a moment later to see Alex stretching…

"Mommy?"

"Allie, are you feeling alright?"

"Alright? I feel great!"

The girl smiled, unknowingly showing silver fangs before she yawned and stretched.

"Uncle Bruce?" She wondered, using the name she'd given him as a child.

"Yeah, it's me Alex."

He smiled, ruffling her hair as her ears laid back.

"Whoa, was I really gone that long?"

"Three days." Rachel admitted, holding her daughter's hand as Alex sat up.

AJ woke up then, shifting to nuzzle her owner's side and seemed to say something.

"I didn't know…"

She seemed to feel guilty, and squeezed her mother's hand.

"I'm sorry…I didn't think…"

"What happened to you, Alex?" Bruce wondered.

"He said something about experiments…Making a superhuman or something…"

Her brow furrowed…

"I think he did something after mixing my DNA with a wolf or something…I'm not sure…"

The black-furred dog raised his head, seeming to say something before once again resting his head on his paws.

"He says that I got enhanced capabilities or something…"

Her ear twitched a bit towards the dogs as the other stayed pointed at the two humans in the room, and Bruce realized she could talk with both species.

"I know I can break metal with my bare hands and I can run faster, but I think that's it…Besides my hearing and my sense of smell…"

Her eyes turned worried…

"How am I supposed to go to school like this, mom?"

Rachel really didn't know…

This was so strange, she didn't know how to handle the situation…

Should she even tell Harvey?

"If you need to, you can stay with me until you figure something out."

Both Dawes women looked up at Bruce in surprise, but Alex's eyes lit up, the color of her eyes brightening.

"Really? I wouldn't want to be a problem…"

"If it's alright with you, Rachel."

"I'll figure something out in a few days, I promise. Pack up your things, Allie."

"Alright…"

Standing from the bed, Alex went around to grab some things as the white dog barked.

"Don't get started…I'm looking for something nice…"

Rachel pulled her childhood friend out of the room as Alex grabbed clothes to change into, intent on explaining all of the things needed to take care of her daughter.

Alex pulled on a blue tank top and baggy cargo pants, hiding her tail before grabbing her favorite baseball cap.

Finding a short leather jacket that she hadn't yet worn and a grey tank top with a white crescent moon, she folded them into a bag she kept in the closet.

A ruffled skirt, with layers inside, hung in her face then, and she looked at it skeptically.

The outside was black, the inside shades of grey, and white shorts also caught her attention with knee-high black boots.

Shrugging, she put them in the bag as well before grabbing other clothes and underclothes.

Pulling on her tennis shoes, she turned to the three dogs atop her bed.

"Well, it looks like you two are staying with me after all…So you'll need names!"

Smiling, she looked at the ceiling in thought…

"How about…Blizzard."

She pointed to the white, dark-eyed husky…

"And…Midnight!"

Both seemed to agree, and her smile widened as she hefted her bag onto her shoulder and headed out into the living room.

"We're ready." She stated.

"Alfred's waiting outside. Come on, Alex."

Hugging Rachel, Alex said her goodbyes and promises to stay safe as she followed Bruce out of the apartment.

'I guess this won't be so bad…After all, I'll be staying in Uncle Bruce!'

Her ears perked under her hat, and she almost started skipping.

'What could go wrong?'


	5. Chapter 5

"Blizzard, don't touch that! Stop running around-! DID YOU JUST HIT THAT VASE?!"

Alfred put a hand over his eyes as he heard a vase beginning to topple, but the crash he expected never came…

"It's okay! Nothing broke!"

Bruce chuckled before taking a sip of his coffee, and the sounds of wrestling reached both their ears.

AJ's bark reached their ears as well, along with what sounded like a groan of exasperation from Midnight before he seemed to jump in and separate the pair.

"OW! Alright, alright!"

The butler couldn't help a soft chuckle of his own as he continued to make pasta alfredo for their guest.

"It seems a bit more lively around here with Ms Alex staying, doesn't it?"

"Definitely. She's like a bundle of light."

Alex popped her head into the kitchen, smiling before almost bouncing to a seat, her wolf ears twitching at every sound.

"That smells great, Alfred."

"I knew you'd appreciate it, Ms Alex."

Blizzard bounded into the room, knocking into Alex's chair, and her arms shot out, starting to wave to keep her balance before the four legs hit the ground solidly once more.

"BLIZZARD!"

He then jumped onto her lap, and she really did fall back in the chair from the sudden weight.

"AH!"

CRASH!!!

"…I need to learn how to stop him from doing that…"

A snicker from Blizzard, followed by a bark, and she glared.

"OH, I could've just ASKED? WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO BEFORE?"

Midnight seemed to chuckle from the door, and AJ trotted up to see if her owner was alright.

"I'm fine…"

Alex sat up, rubbing her head before flicking Blizzard in the nose.

"Are you going to stay tonight, Uncle Bruce? I was planning on a movie night."

"Maybe I can watch one movie. You never know with Wayne Enterprises."

Smiling anyway, Alex righted her chair as her tail wagged.

"Alright!"

As the food was set before her, the now blonde-haired girl began to contemplate what movies to watch…

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yawning from the couch, Alex cuddled into the furry bodies around her as her fifth movie continued to play.

It was past midnight and, just as Bruce predicted, he'd only been able to join her for one film.

She never knew where he went at night, though he always told her it was business problems, but she could always tell when.

Sitting up, she looked out the window and wondered what she could do…

Something in Alex's chest kept a tight hold on her, worrying and fretting her annoyingly, and she often got the impulse to try and hit something.

"Why don't you?"

An ear cocked backwards, and she turned to see AJ.

"Why don't I what?"

"Go out there. Do what you know you want to."

"Which is what? I'm not even sure…"

"You know you want to do something. You know you CAN. So go do something."

"Blizzard, it's not that simple…I can't just go out and expect to beat up people…"

Sighing, Alex leaned back on the couch once more…

"You want to help people, Alex. So go help people." Midnight put in, his head resting on her shoulder.

"Yeah, but that would be irresponsible of me…Mom would get worried, and what if I got hurt?"

"Then don't."

Blizzard seemed to smirk, standing and stretching.

"You're the superhuman. Take down some bad guy butt and avoid getting hit."

"Yeah, that's easy for YOU to say…Do you want me to go out in my pajamas to boot?"

"Maybe you'd prefer this, Ms Alex?"

Jumping as Alex realized Alfred had been listening on the conversation, she turned to see him holding up the outfit she'd been admiring in her own closet.

Except now there was an added biker hat to hide her ears a bit and two sheathed blades.

"Alfred?"

He smiled understandingly, putting a hand on her head.

"You have your mother's big heart, Ms Alex. I suspected once you understood your new powers, you'd want to help people."

"And you won't tell?" Alex worried, still standing.

Her eyes were the lightest shade of blue possible, a hint of hope dancing across the surface…

"Not until you feel ready to."

Smiling appreciatively, she took the outfit and the blades, eyeing them curiously.

"They're wakizashi, I believe. From a trip to Japan. Master Wayne has been wondering whether to use them for decoration or not."

"Thanks, Alfred."

Looking particularly giddy, Alex ran to a bathroom to change as AJ giggled from the couch.

Coming out completely dressed, she almost seemed like a different person.

She carried herself differently, with a calm confidence that seemed almost sharp.

Having tied her hair into a low ponytail, Alex smiled and hugged Alfred goodbye before running out the back door almost as a blur.

Reaching Gotham, she made an inhuman leap onto the roof of a building, and Alex was slowly getting used to her strengths.

Flipping and such whenever the mood struck her, she remembered her years of gymnastics as the sheathes of her new weapons clattered lightly against her hips.

"Let's see…What should be my first stopped crime…?"

Her nose twitched, catching the scent of metal, and she tilted her head curiously.

'Like a gun? I think so…'

Heading towards it, she stayed low as the sound of someone demanding a purse caught her attention…

'Jerk…'

Jumping down into the right alley, she landed on a dumpster, catching the woman and her mugger's attention.

"Who the hell are you?!"

Flipping off the dumpster, she pulled out a wakizashi.

"I'm here to stop you. Isn't it obvious?"

Clearly frightened at her smirk and seeing fangs, the mugger pointed his gun at the wolf-girl.

"Stay back, freak!!"

"Oh, now I'M the freak?"

Alex put on a mock-hurt face.

"That isn't nice to say to a girl…"

A bullet was fired, but she could see it moving towards her almost in slow motion, and she lifted her blade to deflect it.

Clearly surprised, he couldn't react before she punched him in the face.

Still not knowing her own strength, she sent him tumbling across the alley head-over-heels before stopping against a wall.

"Wh-Who are you?"

Ear twitching, Alex turned to the still-frightened woman standing there, and smiled reassuringly.

"People call me…Silverfang."

Seeing some rope nearby, she proceeded to tie up the mugger as the woman pulled herself together.

"Wh-Why did you save me?"

"It was the right thing to do."

Silverfang smiled, showing a fang before standing up.

"What should keep me from doing the right thing?"

With that said, she jumped to the rooftop on her right, disappearing into the darkness…


	6. Chapter 6

'OOOH, look at the shiny vans…'

Silverfang quirked an eyebrow as some large dogs were set free from the back, and turned knowing crystal eyes to Blizzard and Midnight at her side.

A soft sound escaped her throat, catching both their attention.

"Ready to go?" She wondered, voice low at the moment.

Her ears twitched along with her nose, telling her of the Scarecrow, his men, and the mob men.

Not to mention the Batman wannabes…

Silver claws dug into the concrete as Blizzard's tail wagged eagerly, and Midnight crouched silently.

"Might as well start the party…" Silverfang mused, seeing the Batman copycats starting to cause a ruckus with their guns.

Flipping down, she pulled out her wakizashi from her boots before holding one up to a mobster's throat.

"Well, hello there. You mind holding still? I wouldn't want to slit your throat TOO bad."

A dog leapt for her from behind, but Blizzard was upon it with a snarl, digging his fangs into its shoulder.

"OH, your little pups seem a bit naughty…I suppose my dogs will have to teach them a lesson."

Midnight growled as he took on the other two, baring his fangs as they circled each other, and the other men aimed for Silverfang.

"Ah, ah, ah…That's not nice…"

Bullets were fired, but her second wakizashi glinted as her arm moved in a blur, deflecting the bullets easily.

They stopped once they realized she wasn't getting hurt, and Silverfang proceeded to knock them out.

Her karate and gymnastics lessons sure came in handy for this type of work…

Once they were down, Silverfang looked up to see Blizzard and Midnight licking their chops as the other dogs whimpered in pain.

The Batman copycats were trying to deal with Scarecrows men, and were having trouble considering the attacking dogs and gunshots.

Something busted through a wall, and she smirked a bit to herself as she recognized the real Batman's car from that car chase the year before.

It didn't move as bullets played along its surface, and her ears cocked to the side at the sound of blows.

'His car must have some kind of autopilot thing…COOL…'

Some unharmed dogs snarled as they gnawed on a man's limbs, and a snarl of her own cut them off sharply.

They seemed to challenge her, but her bared fangs and bristling tail sent them scampering off like kicked puppies.

"Pussies…" She muttered, smirking as she helped up the bitten man.

Batman had taken care of Scarecrow, and tied them up before turning to her as if wondering what to say.

Her nose twitched, and her pupils dilated in realization of the scent…

"I'm so in trouble, aren't I?"

"What do you think?"

His voice was gruff, and she smiled sheepishly as Blizzard and Midnight jumped into the car.

"I'm not going to get spanked, am I?"

"We'll talk about that LATER."

"I'll take that as a maybe…" Silverfang muttered, swinging into the passenger seat after Batman.

As the roof closed, she clicked the belt on and held the two dogs close on her lap.

Once the car started moving, her ears lay back submissively…

"I didn't know you did this, too…"

"I could say the same thing, Alex."

"Silverfang."

She smiled slightly as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"It's what I call myself."

"Well, you better hope you get to keep calling yourself that once I tell your mother."

Blue eyes widened in panic, pupils dilating to almost take up her whole iris.

"You can't! She'll have a heart attack!"

"She needs to know, Alex. She's loves you, and deserves to know what you've been doing."

Still keeping his attention on the road, Batman could feel the watery eyes boring into him from the side.

If it was one thing Alex could do, it was make people feel guilty without meaning to…

Her eyes would seem almost childlike and hurt as tears swirled them into strange hues of blue, and the pain would make them shine.

Not knowing why it affected him so much, Batman sighed at the pain in his chest from it.

"Alright…But the moment you do something dangerous, I'm telling her."

"Deal."

A smile lit her face before Midnight licked her cheek, causing Silverfang to giggle.

'I guess this means I'm getting a sidekick for a while…'


	7. Chapter 7

"Hey, Alfred. You know what helps bruises?"

"Not getting hit."

"Ha ha…FUNNY…"

Alex rolled her eyes good-naturedly as she pulled on a cap, hiding her ears, and grabbed her skateboard.

"I just can't fall off then, huh?"

"Where might you be going, Ms Alex?"

"Around. Just for a spin. I'll be back in an hour, max."

"Be careful, won't you?"

"Hey, I'm a superhuman. What could happen?"

Alfred smiled a bit, shaking his head as she rolled out the door, tail hidden in her baggy pants and claws covered by black gloves…

'Many things, Ms Alex…Many things…'

Alex cruised happily through the sidewalks of Gotham, intent and watchful, when she caught a scent.

Many scents.

Having learned the smell of gun metal and bullets, she headed towards it, flipping her board up under her arm.

Not wanting to reveal herself without her much-loved Silverfang costume, she slid inside the air vents.

Scuttling along rather silently, and thanking her sensitive hearing, she zeroed in on the mob.

Settling near a 'grate' above them, she looked down at the table below, hearing the TV turn on as everyone settled in.

She wasn't exactly sure what they were talking about, but she got the gist of it.

The police were trying to get the mob's money, and the Chinese man on the TV had taken it with him to Hong Kong to keep it safe.

The police couldn't follow him there, and China wouldn't give up one of it's citizens.

Alex was about to think of a plan to track him down when he informed the room that he was already on a plane heading there…

'Crap…'

Creepy laughter filled the room, and her tail bristled as someone walked into the room.

Her senses were screaming at her to either run the HELL out of there or kill him, and the impulses kept her frozen in place…

'Breathe in…Breathe out…Don't make a sound…'

Reminding herself that she could run out of there like the wind, her tense muscles slowly unwound…

Finally tuning in to the conversation, she heard her 'name'.

"What 'bout that Silverfang girl?" The Russian wondered.

"Batman may be just a man, but they call her a demon. She can break a wall with her bare fist, and run faster than an Olympian. How do you plan to kill 'er?"

'AW…I think they might actually LIKE me…'

"A little girl has frightened you now?"

An evil chuckle, and she bristled again…

"Why, huh? Did she hurt your little dogs?"

"She's an animal!"

"Everyone's an animal."

Deciding she'd heard enough, Alex slowly made her way backwards and out of the building…

Once she was far enough away, she jumped onto her board and cruised along, pulling out her cell phone.

"…Hey, Uncle Bruce. It's me. No, I'm fine, but I've got some info for you."

Listening for a moment, she smiled.

"Oh, trust me. You'll want to know this…"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"WHY couldn't I go? I'm the one that found everything out!"

"Master Wayne didn't want you to go on a trip with him and raise suspicion."

Quirking an eyebrow, Alex sighed and leaned her head on Midnight's side.

"I swear, I go through all that trouble and I can't even bring those guys down…That bastard called me an ANIMAL, Alfred!"

"Perhaps the ears prompted that."

"HA HA…FUNNY…"

Glaring half-heartedly, the blue-eyed girl patted the female husky lying on her abdomen.

"Seriously, though. Have I ever done anything to those people that an animal would?"

"I suppose it was how you handle their attack dogs, Ms Alex. Or maybe if you showed your fangs."

"…I'd stop doing that, but it's instinct…"

'I just hope that nothing bad happens once Uncle Bruce gets back…'

Alex had a feeling that wouldn't be the case, however…


	8. Chapter 8

Sitting on her bed and staring at the dress hanging on the closet door across from her, Alex huffed.

Even if the fundraiser for Harvey allowed the younger patrons to 'dress up' as animals, she wasn't fond of such a dress.

It was a bit short, only up to her knees at best, with spaghetti straps.

It had a bareback strap design, and was a deep sparkling blue.

There was even a slit for her tail.

Smiling a bit though, Alex stood up and grabbed the white strapped high heels she would have to wear.

Her mother had gotten and 'altered' the dress, so she'd wear it.

Changing into it and pulling on the shoes, she headed to the bathroom to pull her hair up into a half bun.

Brushing her hair out a bit with her fingers, Alex grabbed the elbow-length gloves and pulled them on tight before applying lip gloss.

Once she was happy with how she looked, the blonde hopped down to the fundraiser, which had already started.

Finding her mother and Harvey Dent, she greeted them both enthusiastically.

Harvey chuckled, patting her head.

"When did you become a blonde?"

"Oh, it just came around…"

"Allie, is that lip gloss?"

The teen blushed, ears laying back a bit…

"Well…Yeah…"

"That's my girl. Finally wearing make up."

"Mom, it's just lip gloss."

Alex giggled, ears twitching at the distant sound of a helicopter…

"I'll go 'mingle'. I'll see you two lovebirds later."

Wandering off and looking at all the guests, she discreetly swiped a glass of champagne.

"Aren't you a bit underage, Ms Alex?"

Jumping a bit, she turned to Alfred with a sheepish look.

"OH…Um…One glass?"

He smiled understandingly.

"Only one. We wouldn't want you to get tipsy, Ms Alex."

"Oh, we wouldn't want that…" She agreed.

A helicopter was flying onto the helipad, and Alex quirked an eyebrow at Alfred.

"…Does he always make an entrance?"

"Everywhere he goes."

Giggling a bit as the butler continued heading around to offer champagne, she sipped her own glass before her ears twitched behind her.

Turning, she came face to face with a boy only a couple years older than her.

He had dark hair and bright green eyes, almost startling her, and Alex only faintly realized Bruce had walked in as the older teen spoke.

"So, are you new to the scene?"

"I guess you could say so. I haven't been to one of these in a while."

"Well, why don't I…show you around?"

Judging by the suggestive look he was giving her, they weren't going to be doing much walking…

"Sorry, but I can't. Something called 'dignity' and all that."

Smiling almost mockingly, she walked away and found Bruce coming off the balcony where he'd been standing alone.

"Hey, Uncle Bruce. Anything going on?"

"Not that I know of…"

Smiling, he put a hand on her shoulder.

"Why don't you check out the penthouse? Just to be safe."

"No problem. Better than people trying to seduce me."

Smiling a bit at the slightly surprised look on his face, she almost hopped off to sniff out the area.

Catching something slightly familiar, Alex stopped in her tracks…

'I think I remember that scent…'

Her eyes widened…

'Oh no…'

Rushing to the hidden panel in the hallway, she opened it forcefully before slipping inside.

Grabbing her Silverfang outfit and changing as quickly as she could while running, she also snatched her wakizashi.

Also nabbing a knife holster, she strapped it high up under her thigh before pulling her biker hat between her ears.

'All set?'

A gunshot caught her attention, and she swiped her fingerless black gloves.

'I better be!'

Bolting back out, she rushed with her tail bristling and ears laid back…

Standing outside of the room, she heard the Joker and his men moving through the crowd, but her heart clenched when she heard her mother.

'Damn it, mom!'

Coming in discreetly, with no one looking in her direction, Silverfang crept along the edges of the room, pupils narrowing as the clown moved closer to her mom.

'He'd better not try anything…'

A knife to Rachel's mouth, and Silverfang was there in a moment, her foot hitting the Joker in the stomach.

He skidded back, and she pulled out her wakizashi as one of the clowns fired at her.

Deflecting the bullets, she picked up a table and threw it at him, knocking three of them down.

"Jeez, aren't you guys supposed to be at a birthday party or something?" She growled, standing protectively in front of her mom.

"Well, aren't you a little spitfire?"

Blue eyes narrowed, dark as a raging sea as the storm came closer…

"What the hell do you want? Or is this twenty questions?"

His chuckle sent a chill down her spine, and her tail bristled as her fangs threatened to make an appearance.

"Well, since you're SUCH a gorgeous sight, I'll tell you. Where's Harvey Dent?"

"He's not here?"

Silverfang blinked, looking around.

"Well, guess he disappeared into thin air. Goodbye, so long, don't let the door hit your ass on the way out!"

A cheeky grin spread across her face, but before any knives could be imbedded in her flesh, Batman punched Joker across the face.

Silverfang darted in to help take out the other clowns, two meeting the soles of her boots before she flipped to land on her hands.

Spinning, her feet met the chests of three more before the blonde pushed off and landed on her feet.

Turning, she almost bumped into the stomach of a very huge clown…

"WHOA…big guy…"

A yelp escaped her as she ducked a meaty fist, and she grabbed the wrist above her with her ankles.

Pulling powerfully, her much larger opponent sailed over her and crashed into the floor.

"You were even holding a gun? That's bad sport…"

With a twist, his wrist snapped, and Silverfang stepped over his body as she dusted off her sleeves.

A gun loaded, catching her attention, and the hilt of her blade creaked under her palm at the sight of a gun pointed at her mother's head…

"You wouldn't…" She growled, fangs threatening to reveal themselves…

The window behind him was blown open by a spray of bullets, hurting her ears enough to make them lay back.

As Rachel was hung out of the new hole, Silverfang sheathed her blade as her muscles tensed, like coiled springs ready to release…

"Let her go." Batman demanded, gruff voice threatening.

"Very poor choice of words."

Rachel screamed as gravity took hold, but Batman was already jumping to save her.

"Fuck!" Silverfang growled, trying to make it through the crowd without throwing something in her haste…

'Almost there-Almost there!'

A yank on the tail, and she yelped in sudden pain before whirling around, claws slashing the Joker's arm.

"Jeez, that's attached, you know!" She growled, silver fangs bared threateningly.

Thankfully, her feet hadn't forgotten what she'd been doing before the stupid clown, as she called him, grabbed her tail…

"Next time, remind me to castrate you!" She shouted back, jumping through the hole leading to the slanted rooftop.

Slipping down, she flipped over the edge and zoomed down to the falling pair ahead of her.

Catching hold of Batman, her free hand dug into the concrete wall rushing beside them.

Clenching her jaw in pain as her arm and shoulder muscles pulled, the trio finally slowed to a stop.

Claws gripping a hole in the wall, Silverfang panted as the limb screamed for rest…

"Are you…okay?" She forced out through clamped fangs.

"Fine."

"How are we going to get down?"

"I can do it…"

Positioning her feet against the wall, she pushed off and landed safely on a car below, crushing the roof.

Still breathing roughly, Silverfang shifted enough to see Rachel.

"So…Did I do good?"

A smile slowly spread across the brunette's face…

"You did great."

Breathing out in relief, the teen began to sit up…

"But we're still going to have a talk about you lying to me."

"Aw MAN…"


	9. Chapter 9

"Two dead cops…This is demented…"

Alex's face seemed clearly unpleased, staring at the TV mindlessly even if her favorite show was on.

AJ was lying on her owner's lap, sometimes looking up at her and trying to lick the worry off her face.

Blizzard was sprawled on the floor before the couch, sometimes looking up at his owner as if wondering what was going through her head.

A stiffened tail and laid back ears meant aggression, but the look in her eyes showed anxiety…

Midnight walked back around the front of the couch in his pacing, and stopped momentarily to check on her again.

The two males hadn't known the wolf girl nearly as long as AJ, but they'd grown fond of her puppyish ways and cared for her.

"Who else is going to get killed? Mom? Harvey? Uncle Bruce?"

"No one else."

Blue eyes blinked, looking down at AJ in surprise.

"Baby girl…?"

"If this is worrying you so much, make sure no one else dies."

"…Right."

A determined look crossed Alex's face, causing her eyes to harden…

"I won't let anybody else get hurt. Not anymore."

Blizzard seemed to smirk, resting his head on the carpet…

"I knew you'd get back to yourself…"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pulling the black hat snugly over her ears and making sure her tail wasn't visible, Alex followed her mother onto the platform with Harvey.

The commissioner had died, as had a judge she had heard of, the night the fundraiser had been 'disrupted'.

Sitting on a chair, her nose twitched as scents mingled in the air…

Bruce had been busy in the bunker analyzing evidence from the crime scene, and had warned her to stay alert.

Eyes downcast and ears at attention, she tried to tune out the mayor's speech…

A smell made her head snap up, pupils dilating as shots rang through the air, one aimed for the mayor.

Gordan took the first bullet in the back, but time seemed to slow as a second one cracked the air…

'NO!'

Bolting from her seat, not even registering that it toppled over, she took the blow in the stomach, the pain too intense to register at the moment…

"ALLIE!"

Her hands went to her abdomen, meeting warm gushing blood, and she pressed her palms against the wound as a high-pitched whine escaped her throat…

"ALLIE!!!"

Rachel caught her daughter's toppling form, pressing her own jacket to the wound.

Harvey's eyes were wide as he watched the crimson life fluid spread, saw the pain mirrored on their faces…

"M-Mommy…v-vial…"

Rachel fumbled inside her daughter's belt, finding a vial of clear liquid.

"Dr-Drink…"

Alex's breaths were becoming ragged…

"T-To change b-back…f-for the s-surgery…"

Understanding in an instant, she carefully tilted her daughter's head up as she popped open the vial, putting the rim to her lips…

As Harvey lifted her up for a policeman to take, her tail and ears slowly receded…

By the time she came around, Alex's ears were human and she had no tail.

The change was only temporary, as Faux had pointed out to her, and was only to be used in emergency situations.

After having retrieved the bullet, the doctors had sewed her up and given her blood transfusions.

Her stomach was wrapped up thickly, and an IV drip was attached to her hand as well.

'Man…I must have been out for a while…'

Crystal eyes found her mother, who was sleeping leaning on the bed, face peaceful.

'I didn't mean to worry her…'

Sitting up with some difficulty, what with the stabbing pain in her stomach, Alex poked her mother's cheek.

"Mommy? Mommy, time to wake up."

"Hm?"

Rachel groggily opens her eyes, shooting up into a sitting position at the sight of her awakened daughter.

"Allie! Are you feeling alright? Do you need more pain meds? What were you thinking?! Do you know how worried I was?!"

"I'm getting the picture, mommy." Alex soothed, smiling.

"I'm fine, by the way."

Rachel huffed a bit, but couldn't help a smile.

Her daughter was a headstrong spirit with the stubbornness of a bull, but she had a heart of gold…

"Any reason why you decided to get shot?"

"Well, I wasn't exactly planning on it. It's just one of those things that happens."

Blue eyes turned worried…

"Is Gordan okay? And Harvey?"

"Harvey's fine, but…"

Rachel didn't know if she wanted to tell her daughter that Gordan was dead…

Of the cops that Alex knew, she seemed to like Jim Gordan the best, and was known to hang around him whenever her mother dragged her over.

He was a father, and had taken the role of watchful mentor with the young girl when she'd shown interest in the world of law enforcement.

He was sweet with her, and gentle, always sending a little something to her on birthdays and Christmas, a gesture often returned with handmade sweets.

To tell Alex that he'd been shot just before she had…

Died as she'd taken a bullet to the stomach…

Rachel knew how much all this death was affecting her daughter, and that her crazy stunt had been an attempt to stop it.

"Mommy?"

Worry filled crystal eyes, and Alex took hold of her mother's hand.

"But what? Is Gordan okay?"

"Allie, honey…He died protecting the mayor today…"

Tears swirled in the blonde's eyes, but she held them back though a whimper escaped her…

"I…I'm sorry, mom…I should've moved faster…"

"It's not your fault, honey." Rachel soothed, putting a hand on Alex's forehead as a sob escaped her chest…

"You couldn't have done anything for him. Just relax and rest."

"But…"

"You're not going to do anything until you're healed."

"I'm the only one that can find him! Mom, you have to understand!"

"No excuses."

Rachel was firm on this, and was not going to budge.

That psychotic had already sent her daughter to the hospital once, she wasn't going to have Alex go LOOKING for him.

The blonde was brave to a fault…

"Until those stitches come out, you're not going to be fighting crime."

Looking put out, Alex rested back on the hospital bed…

"Where are AJ and the other dogs?"

"At Bruce's penthouse. Alfred is taking care of them."

"What time is it?" The teen wondered, yawning as her eyes threatened to close…

"It's getting late. Why don't you rest-?"

A cell phone ringing cut Rachel off, and she answered it as Alex studied her hand, seeing a silver sheen that warned of her claws returning.

Looking up once the call was over, she noticed her mother's worried eyes…

"Mom?"

"Harvey says we're being targeted. We need to get to the penthouse."

"How?"

"I'll sign you out. I need to get some painkillers for you, and you'll need to use a wheelchair."

"A superhuman that needs a wheelchair…Never thought I'd see the day…"

Smiling at her daughter's unhampered humor, Rachel set out to do just that.

'I hope that this whole mess doesn't mess with her too much…She can be so sensitive…'


	10. Chapter 10

"Are you kidding me? You can't!"

"What do you expect me to do?"

"Take it!"

Alex looked stubborn at that moment, ears laid back and tail bristling.

"You don't think all this hurts me, too? But I'm willing to take it if it means we catch the bastard!"

Bruce paused, realizing she was asking the same thing Alfred had…

For him to endure…

"This isn't your call."

"But I have a right to be there."

"You're still too injured."

He couldn't help looking at the bandages poking out past her shirt, and Alex put on a face.

"I'm healing just fine. I can do it!"

Her eyes were pleading…

"I just want to be there…"

"…You can't. They'll want you to turn yourself in as well."

"What? Me?" She wondered, blinking innocently.

"I haven't heard anything about that."

"Because I didn't want you to. The Joker-."

Bruce caught himself, unable to find the right words to express what that madman wanted to do with the innocent little girl before him…

"…I just don't want you to feel pressured into it, Alex."

"And you don't feel pressured?" She countered.

Blizzard bristled behind her, feeling her edginess, and Midnight raised his head to watch them with careful eyes.

AJ whimpered, nuzzling her owner's hand with a wet nose and licking her palm.

Seeming slightly placated, Alex patted the husky's head, eyes still locked with Bruce's.

"…Alright. Come on."

Smiling a bit, she waved goodbye to the three dogs before pulling a cap over her ears and jogging after him.

'I hope this doesn't end badly…'

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Watching the press conference, Alex shuffled uncomfortably beside Bruce, fidgeting with the long ponytail over her shoulder.

The people were shouting, and Harvey was arguing with them about Batman.

Her ears twitched under her cap, catching every word, every breath…

"Uncle Bruce, these people are scared…"

"How can you tell?"

His voice was low, but she could still hear him, even if no one else did…

"I smell it on the air…"

Leaning against the wall, she sensed the uncomfortable fear strangling the air…

Harvey Dent couldn't seem to sway the crowd, show them that they NEEDED Batman, needed Silverfang, and chants of "No more dead cops!" filled her ears.

'They just don't understand…This won't stop him…'

Her new senses, the hidden primal instincts of the wolf, could sense evil and chaos within a person, sense goodness and truth…

She could tell this wouldn't stop him, not even hinder him…

It would give him more reason to keep going…

Harvey stepped away from the podium, telling the cops to take the Batman into custody.

Bruce almost stepped forward when Dent's next statement startled him into stopping.

"I am Batman."

Crystal eyes widened as he was handcuffed, and she searched Bruce's face to see the same confusion written on his own face.

"Come on, Alex."

"Uncle Bruce-."

"It's time for our appearance."

Understanding, she nodded, following after him while trying not to pull her stitched abdomen…

'We can't fail…Not this time…'

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This is crazy…Stupid SWAT cars…"

Huffing, Silverfang followed the procession of cop cars from the rooftops, spotting the obstacle ahead before they did…

'A fire truck on fire…cute…'

Flipping onto a fire escape and then to the sidewalk, she sped after the convoy as it detoured underground.

Speeding up to stay in sight of the cars, she jumped forward to avoid a truck ramming into a car and detouring.

'Shit-fuck!'

Her stitches were pulling painfully, but Silverfang bit back the feeling sharply.

A pistol shot at the SWAT truck's side, and her eyes snapped to the side to see the eighteen-wheeler's side open and the Joker holding the accused weapon.

'Oh GREAT…Just GREAT…'

A RIFLE, and she decided he was going a bit too far…

Pulling free her wakizashi, she jumped forward and deflected some of the annoying little pellets.

'Mom said not to get shot, but she never said I couldn't DEFLECT bullets, right?'

"Well, hello gorgeous! What brings you to the party?"

"Shits and giggles." She replied sarcastically, ignoring her burning abdomen as her feet thundered to keep up with the truck.

A bazooka…

Silverfang was beginning to wonder where the HELL they got their damn weapons…

"You WOULDN'T…"

The rocket went for the cop car in front…

"Okay, maybe you would…"

Bolting forward like a blur, she busted through the driver side door, grabbed the lone cop inside, and busted out the other side before the car exploded.

Landing harshly, and wincing as blood wetted her bandages, Silverfang put down the cop.

"Stay." She ordered before bolting back towards the SWAT car.

Good thing the Tumbler was coming, at least…

'Avoid getting run over, and everything will be fine…'

Her transformation may have made her sturdier than the normal human, but being run over or shot still HURT…

Speeding up, she jumped onto the truck's roof, gripping it with her claws as it swerved to avoid the Tumbler.

SOMETHING crashed, but she lay her ears back to avoid them ringing…

'Please tell me he hasn't reloaded the bazooka…'

She felt her eye twitch in irritation…

'Castration? I'm going to rip his damn balls off after this!'

He aimed for the truck, and Silverfang was prepared to jump to stop the explosive when the Tumbler was suddenly in the path instead.

It's rear end exploded, and she shielded herself with one arm as the tank-like car swerved off somewhere.

'CRAP…'

Some blood smeared from the wet bandages onto the metal roof, and she flinched before climbing forward towards the driver's end.

"Speed it up! Head above ground!" She shouted, tail bristling.

Jumping ahead of the truck, she sped ahead to show them the safe detour, and jumped out of the way quickly.

Then she saw the helicopter…

'Well, now they've got air support.'

Then she saw the helicopter hit something and beginning to spiral out of control…

'Aw HELL…'

Using the buildings to propel herself into the air faster, she jumped into the helicopter and pulled the two drivers out before it hit the street.

Landing on a rooftop with a man under each arm, she panted as blood began to drip down from her stomach…

"Stay up here."

Her ear twitched in surprise seeing that both were unconscious…

"…Well, at least I know you won't move…"

Hearing something crash below, Silverfang looked over the edge to see the eighteen-wheeler on its back.

Quirking an eyebrow, she flipped over the edge and grabbed onto a wire to make the fall easier.

'Guess the Batpod worked.'

Walking along the side, her ear twitched at the sound of someone getting out on the other side.

Bullets hit the ground, and she quirked an eyebrow as she saw the Joker heading towards the fast-moving Batpod with an automatic gun in hand.

She could hear him egging Batman on, asking to be hit, and she held back in the shadows…

'Don't hit him…Don't hit him…Don't give in to what he's asking…'

He didn't, swerved out of the way and crashed into the flipped truck…

Seeming a bit too hurt to defend himself from the Joker's knife, the clown was surprised by her pouncing on him from the side.

Remembering her sensei's instructions on keeping someone down, she dug a knee into his stomach and hit the knife away.

"Miss me?"

A SWAT came up behind her, aiming his gun at Joker's head, and she looked over her shoulder at the familiar scent…

"Pretty tricky there, Gordan…"

A smile split her face, and she could hardly contain her joy…

"Don't worry me so much next time, huh?"

"I'll try." He promised, pulling off the helmet.

With that said, she stood up, knowing the Joker wouldn't try anything, when she noticed his eyes on her stomach.

'What? Is my shirt bunched up again?'

Looking down, she realized it was a bit worse than that…

Blood had soaked her bandages and half her shirt, and was dripping down her legs lazily.

"Aw CRAP…" She growled to herself, the lack of adrenaline making her dizziness more pronounced…

Someone picked her up from behind, and half-lidded eyes looked up at Batman, sensing the worry.

"Told you not to push it."

"What kind of teenager would I be if I did everything I was told?" She joked weakly, already slipping away…

"A good one."

A small smile stole across her face as she felt Batman settle her on the back of the Batpod…

"Well, that's not the point, is it?"


	11. Chapter 11

With fresh bandages and Blizzard to help keep her upright, Alex went to check on her mother…

She'd heard about Rachel being worried for Harvey, and wanted to make sure she hadn't had a heart attack.

Opening the door to the apartment, Alex slipped inside to find that it was dark.

And empty.

Eyes narrowing, she told Blizzard to search the apartment before grabbing her cell phone.

Rachel ALWAYS picked up her phone…

Putting the number in, Alex tried to calm her dark thoughts as a ringing escaped the speaker.

Her heart pounded as she was greeted by the voice mail…

'Oh no…'

The phone hit the floor, and her pupils dilated as adrenaline rushed through her system with all of the horrible things that could have happened…

Blizzard whimpered softly, and she looked down to see a Joker playing card in his jaws…

Rage clouded her eyes, and her claws dug into the counter harshly…

'That bastard…'

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The police outside of the interrogation room looked up in surprise to see Silverfang, eyes so dark they looked obsidian.

"Where is he?"

Her voice was dark, low, restraining her rage…

One pointed into the interrogation room, where Batman was 'interrogating' the Joker.

"Thanks."

Turning to the door, Gordan held his hand up to stop her, freezing when he saw her stiff tail and sharp fangs.

In any dog he'd ever seen, that was a sign to NOT touch, to get out of their way before their teeth sunk into flesh.

"Do you know what's going on?"

"Not exactly, but I've got something to…ASK about…"

"Harvey Dent never made it home."

She froze, and he could see the slightly-darker pupils narrow further in the dark sea of her irises…

"Neither did Rachel Dawes."

The door was opened, throwing a metal chair that had been put there to keep it closed, and Silverfang stepped in before slamming the door shut.

As the walls stopped shaking, she walked up to a slightly-surprised Batman and a being-beaten-up Joker.

"I want to know where they are, and I want to know NOW."

Her voice seemed calm, but it was rougher and darker than ever.

"Well, that depends…Who are you looking for, gorgeous?"

A growl escaped her like thunder, and her fist came down on the metal table, destroying it completely.

"I'm not here to play games. I want to know where Harvey Dent and Rachel Dawes are right now, or I'm going to kill you."

With the look in her eyes, even Batman was doubting if she'd be able to stop her claws…

"Well, aren't you edgy today. Still, ah…mad that I shot you?"

"Shot me? You never…"

She paused, realizing what that meant…

'Oh God…He KNOWS…'

This revelation, however, only pissed her off more…

With a growl, she picked him up by the shirt and slammed him into the wall.

"No more f***ing games. Tell me right now."

Batman carefully took hold of her shoulder, but the wolf-girl didn't seem to notice.

The Joker was exhilarated, seeing how far that one act had pushed her, how close she really was to spilling blood on her hands…

Then again, it seemed he'd crossed a sacred line, and Silverfang was ready to show him why you don't step over that line.

"I want the addresses. NOW."

"Well, I like a girl that knows what she wants…"

The bricks began to crack behind him, and Silverfang didn't seem willing to let him breathe despite his laughter…

"Alright, alright. I'll tell you! That's the point. Even with both of you, you won't be able to save them both."

"Try me." She snarled, fangs grinding against each other.

"He's at 250 52nd Street, and she's on…Avenue X."

With that done, she released him and turned to the door.

"I'm going to get Dent."

It was an unspoken question, a plea, for Batman to get her mother…

"Alright."

Both were gone, rushing to their destinations, and Silverfang was essentially a blur as she ran, her new stitches pulling…

She didn't have the luxury of slowing her pace, with all the distance still between her and her destination…

Cursing the fact that the kidnappers had managed to cover their scent trail so she had to waste time with Joker, the blonde jumped over a car.

She HAD to get there in time, and the sound of cop cars behind her showed that she at least had back up…

The building came into view, and she rushed in the first door she spotted, a scent filling her nose that caused her heart to pound…

'Mom…'

Running into a massive room, she saw Rachel bound to a chair amid the barrels rigged to blow, and she leaped over them.

"MOM!"

"Allie!"

Rachel's eyes landed on the time, and her heart almost stopped as she realized there wasn't enough time for her daughter to untie her, let alone get her out…

"Allie, run! Get out of here!"

"I won't!"

Silverfang smelled the fear, and her eyes snapped to the timer…

'Oh no…'

"You have to!"

"I won't leave you! I love you, mommy!"

"I love you too, Allie…But if one of us can live, I want it to be you."

"Mommy-!"

Five seconds…

"GO, Allie!"

"I won't!"

'I can't!'

Three seconds…

Rachel was getting desperate, tears escaping her eyes as Silverfang tried ripping off her restraints…

Two seconds…

"Allie, GO!"

Silverfang was surprised by a kick towards a large window, and her eyes widened…

"MOMMY-!"

The force of the initial explosion sent her flying back, shattering the glass before she hit the gravel outside rolling.

Fire roared, licking at the building as the cops stopped, and she got up on her hands and knees, wincing as the harsh burns on her palms stung…

Tears escaped her eyes, which turned a strange dark blue in grief, and her palms stung as the salty water hit them…

'M-Mommy…'

A sob shook her, and she stood on shaky legs as she realized her mother's last act had been to save her…

'And I couldn't even do the same…'

She couldn't even see straight, her vision blurring with tears as sobs made her throat ache…

"Silverfang?"

Gordan paused, not seeing the same fiery, cocky girl he'd associated with the wolf ears and the sharp fangs…

She seemed broken, wetness on her cheeks and her EYES…

They were grief-stricken and vulnerable, and as a father, he couldn't bear to see that look on someone still so young…

"I-I'm sorry…"

As she ran off, tears flying away from the speed, Gordan was wondering if that apology had been meant for him…


	12. Chapter 12

Alex stared up at the ceiling, silent and seemingly unmoving…

The hospital, understanding her pain, had allowed her to bring in her three dogs.

After having her hands treated by Alfred and hearing what had happened to Harvey, she'd insisted on seeing him.

Insisted on apologizing for what she'd failed to do…

AJ nuzzled her owner's waist, blue eyes sad, as Blizzard seemed intent on ignoring the agony and surveyed the hallway.

Midnight lay on the hospital chair beside Alex, sometimes raising his head to say something encouraging to keep her from tears.

Standing once a nurse waved her towards the door, Alex slipped into the hospital room to see Harvey.

His face stubbornly faced the wall, keeping his burned half out of sight, as she sat down in a chair at his bedside.

"Hey, Harvey…" She managed, eyes guiltily on the floor…

AJ nudged her encouragingly in the elbow, and the blonde found the strength to continue.

"I know how much my mom meant to you…And I'm sorry that I couldn't do anything for either of you…"

Looking up, her ears lay back under her cap as she thought he wasn't listening…

"But I know mom really cared about you, too…And I want to stay with you…Mom would like that…"

Not hearing a reply, she sighed, pulling out a card with her number on it from her jeans…

"If you need anything, you'll call, won't you? I just want to help…"

Carefully, she propped the card up next to the coin and slowly turned to leave, ushering out her dogs first…

"Alex…"

Stopping, she turned towards Dent, almost feeling her tail raise in expectation.

"You're so much like your mother…I could never blame you for what happened…"

Another gash in her heart, but Alex nodded slightly…

"Just don't strain yourself…"

She smiled weakly…

"I learned that lesson the hard way."

"Don't worry about me."

Nodding, Alex said her goodbyes before heading out into the hallway, Midnight bristling a bit and AJ grabbing hold of her pants.

"What's up with you guys?" She wondered, looking around.

A TV caught her attention, the Joker's voice saying that if someone didn't kill the lawyer on the show, he'd blow up a hospital.

'Aw crap…'

"Come on."

Running out as the nurses and doctors began moving out patients, she stopped in the driveway and turned to the three dogs seriously.

"I want you to go home and get my wakizashi."

Blizzard seemed ready to protest, but she cut him off.

"Go and do it. I need to help these people. I have my Silverfang outfit, but my blades would have set off the alarm. I need them."

After a moment, the three huskies agreed, running off as she found a place to quickly change her clothes.

Stuffing her 'civilian' attire into her bag, she hid it in a locker she found at a store before running into the hospital.

People seemed a bit startled to see her, probably assuming she'd only come out at night, but Silverfang ignored that.

"What can I do to help?"

One doctor seemed to compose himself, and told her of the heavier patients that needed to get into the buses coming in from outside.

Doing just that, she watched the speedy chaos of patients being loaded up.

While helping load one elderly woman in the back, she saw a cop run into the building, ears twitching.

He was saying something to another cop over his COM link, about getting someone outside…

Her nose answered the question on its own…

'Harvey…'

Running inside after the officer, she followed her nose to Harvey's room through the winding hallways.

A gunshot made her pick up the pace, and Silverfang was surprised when she turned the corner and got a taser to the stomach.

Crying out in pain and shock, she stumbled back as her bandages caught most of the charge.

"Well, hello gorgeous. What are you doing about?"

Shaking off the electricity still rushing through her veins, Silverfang growled in rage, ready to lunge when she noticed what Joker was dressed as…

Stopping in befuddlement at first, she eventually couldn't hold back a snort of laughter.

"Sorry, sorry…Just…Seriously didn't think you'd look that great in a skirt…" She teased before coming back to herself.

"Where's Dent?"

"Why, right here!"

Crystal eyes widened at the sight of Harvey, a pistol in hand and a glare on the good side of his face…

'Oh CRAP…'

"Whoa, there. Let's not go trigger-happy. I've already been shot one too many times, thank you."

"You were never scared of being shot before." Dent accused, and Silverfang backed up another step, reaching back to find a table.

Fingers wrapping around a scalpel, her eyes turned confused as Harvey flipped a coin.

It came up on a scarred side, and she deflected the bullet fired before throwing the scalpel, knocking the gun out of his hand.

What Silverfang wasn't expecting was a blow to the head…

Body crumpling to the floor, her foggy brain tried to keep working as her vision blurred…

"I wouldn't want to waste such a gorgeous girl, but I suppose I can make an exception."

Taunting laughter, and what felt like a mocking kiss to her forehead that made her want to snarl…

'Mom used to do that, you sick bastard…'

With her mind going in and out, she hardly noticed when they were gone…

'I've got to get out of here…'

Managing to move her limbs, she got onto shaky legs and headed for the window at the end of the hall…

'Keep moving…Ignore the pain…Almost there…'

In her dazed state, she almost felt someone helping her along, and she reached the sill after some careful steps.

Looking out, she saw a bush and a car below her, and busted open the window before jumping out.

Once the roof of the vehicle was crushed under her impact, the building caught fire.

Rolling to the ground, Silverfang shook her head before starting to run from the building, which exploded fiercely as she jumped behind a short wall.

Relaxing with her head against the bricks, she panted as her brain began to jumpstart and clear…

'Need to move…Need to warn Uncle Bruce…Need to stop him…'

Managing to stand, she grabbed hold of a wall, and looked up to see AJ running up with worry in her eyes.

"Hey, baby girl…I'm fine…"

The red-furred dog licked her owner's hand as Blizzard and Midnight stopped behind her, the latter with her wakizashi and knives strapped to his back.

Taking them and putting them on, Silverfang breathed out as she stood straight.

"Come on. I have a feeling this whole thing isn't done yet…"


	13. Chapter 13

"Uncle Bruce, we need to go get him. I can't just sit here while my mother's killer goes running around."

"Not yet."

Silverfang's glare didn't faze him, and Batman sighed.

"You say he left you in the hospital before it blew up?"

"Yeah."

"Then he thinks your dead."

Starting to understand, she smirked.

"Sneak attack?"

"Exactly."

"How are we going to find him?"

"I have that covered. Do you think you can track him down?"

"I have four of the best noses in the city on it. I'll find him."

AJ barked happily in agreement, tail wagging, as Silverfang told the trio of canines to fan out.

Checking her cell, she smiled.

"Call if you find anything."

"I will, don't worry."

The pair parted ways with one thing on their minds…

Finding Joker…

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Looking at the building from an opposite rooftop, Silverfang scoffed as Blizzard bristled at her side.

Midnight stared at it expectantly, hackles rising, as AJ fidgeted, looking up at her owner anxiously.

The wolf-girl looked up at Batman expectantly, tail stiff and ears perked.

Gordan was fidgety, ready to give the order to shoot, but Silverfang shook her head…

'Too easy…'

It was written across her face, and Batman agreed.

"Give us five minutes."

"We don't have time! Those people could blow each other up any minute!"

"They won't." Silverfang replied, looking completely sure of that fact.

"How do you know?"

"Trust me."

"Silverfang, you stay here."

"But-!"

"Stay."

Glaring a bit at the command, she nodded, ears laying back as he flew across the street.

Gordan got a phone call, and she caught the hysterics from the other end.

Turning to him, her ears twitched and her tail swayed slightly.

"Gordan?"

"My family's in trouble."

Remembering his wife and two little kids, Silverfang's eyes turned worried.

"Let's go."

Following him off the rooftop, she told her trio of canines to go back to the penthouse before following the cop car.

Her heart clenched as she recognized the burned husk of the building she'd been in trying to save her mother…

Gordan looked at her curiously, seeing as she seemed frozen.

"I'm fine." She assured, seeing his look.

"You go in and approach him. I'll stay in the shadows. I won't let anything happen to your family."

"How do you know he won't be expecting you?"

"He won't."

"Why?"

Her eyes seemed hidden in shadows by her hat as she turned to 'hide' herself…

"He thinks I'm dead."

Gordan stayed silent, absorbing that information, as the shadows swallowed Silverfang whole…

But he couldn't help imagining the light playing tricks on his eyes, because the hurt look in her eyes made him remember Alex…

Silverfang followed him silently through the burned carcass of a structure, swinging up and crouching on hidden beams.

When Gordan was struck to the floor as his family whimpered, the wolf-girl held back a growl…

Harvey seemed rightfully enraged, but she couldn't bear to think that she might have to hurt him…

Her mother had cared for him…

Closing her eyes as his roughened voice threatened the family…

Jimmy's frightened cry had crystal eyes bolting open, and Silverfang almost moved as she saw a gun at his temple.

Batman arrived and stopped him, telling Dent to point the gun at those responsible for what happened to Rachel.

Harvey aimed the weapon at the caped crusader, but Silverfang jumped down between them before he could flip his coin.

"You?! How are you still alive?" Two-Face demanded.

"I thought you'd be happy to see me…" She admitted softly, smile sad as her ears lay back against her hair and her tail lowered…

"After all, you always said I was like my mother…"

He seemed almost confused until recognition crossed his face…

"Alex…"

"Yeah…"

Her smile fell a bit, and she took a tentative step forward…

"Don't blame them for what happened…It wasn't any of their fault…"

Tears brimmed in her eyes, but Alex managed to keep them at bay…

"It was mine."

"What are you talking about?"

"I was with her when it was set off…She managed to get me near a window before the explosion…"

Biting her lip almost hard enough to bleed, she held back a sob…

"I didn't have time to save her, too…"

Managing to suppress her raw emotions, Alex looked up at him with all the seriousness her petite body could muster up.

"If you're going to shoot anyone for what happened, then shoot me."

Batman almost grabbed her shoulder, pulled her behind him for protection…

The doctors had made it clear that she'd barely made it through being shot once, even if her healing seemed accelerated.

If she was shot again, she would most likely die…

Alex wasn't about to back down from this, however.

She felt she deserved a punishment for her failure, and, subconsciously, this was her way of making things fair.

Her mother had lost her life protecting her daughter, and Alex would most likely lose her own protecting Jimmy…

Harvey looked at his coin, and flipped it as she looked over her shoulder at Batman.

"Protect Jimmy."

Dent looked at the face of the coin staring back at him before thunder cracked the air…

Mouth opening in a silent cry, Alex stumbled back a bit as blood swelled up in her stomach once more…

Knees shaking beneath her weight, the blonde put her hands to the wound in a futile attempt to stop the life-fluid's escape…

Before the gun barrel could be pointed at the boy's head once more, Batman tackled Two-Face, the pair disappearing from sight.

Gordan's wife, Barbara, rushed to Alex's side as the wolf-girl crumpled to her knees.

Remembering the smiling little girl she'd babysat, and forever grateful for her son's life, she helped put pressure on the hole.

Crystal eyes were fluttering closed, and Alex coughed weakly…

Consciousness slipped away…

Batman could tell she wouldn't be safe with him at the moment, and turned to Gordan.

"Tell them Silverfang wasn't involved. Give her this and take her to the hospital."

The commissioner looked at the little vial doubtfully, nodding.

"I will. Don't worry about her."

Looking up, he saw the caped crusader running off as Jimmy climbed down to see what had happened.

"…He's a silent guardian. A watchful protector. A Dark Knight."


	14. Chapter 14

Gordan had been asked to tell Alex about her mother's will after the funeral, and the commissioner had almost declined.

The fifteen year old had finally broken down and mourned her mother's death, and hadn't been given enough time to pull herself back together.

Bruce had managed to console her, and the blonde had insisted upon hearing what her mother had wanted.

The commissioner sat at his desk heavily, looking at the papers before him carefully as Alex fiddled with her hat.

"…Rachel Dawes asked that, should anything happen to her, she wanted to leave you in the custody of your biological father."

The blonde looked up in confusion, along with the billionaire sitting beside her.

"But mom said my biological father was dead…"

"She told me the same."

"She said to do a paternity test…Starting with you, Mr. Wayne."

More confusion, but both agreed, and Gordan had his lab assistants take swab samples and do the test as quickly as possible.

They didn't have to wait long, and the scientist came back and whispered the result to Gordan, who sighed.

"…It seems that Rachel has been keeping a secret from us all…"

"What?"

Alex had been too fidgety to catch the words, and jumped up and down.

"…Bruce Wayne, it seems you're Alex's biological father."

Silence…

Wide blue eyes blinked at the commissioner before turning to the equally surprised man beside her…

"WHOA…"

"Yeah…whoa…"

After thinking it over, a smile spread across Alex's face…

"Well, I don't see a problem with it!"

Reassured by her eager acceptance, Bruce smiled.

He wasn't sure how good of a father he'd be, but considering this was Alex, he'd try.

He'd try…


End file.
